Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt

Mixed feelings. Some of it is very much the black humour of survival in a broken system where there is fuck all support for traumatic events. But some of it does feel sneeringly misogynistic. Bit like the songs: some are genius works of black humour, and others step way over the line. And he seems to have little concept of which are which. And I'm damn sure there's misogyny in O&G, having tried to support female consultant colleagues in that department.

Buy it from a charity or other second hand shop?

" I might see if the library has a copy so I don’t have him make a profit from me."

I think authors get a very, very small amount of royalties from libraries don't they? Maybe doesn't depend how many times the book is borrowed though...

Whereas some of the nurses and midwives I’ve encountered seem to think that one size fits all. No, it bloody doesn’t!

This book was what introduced my desire never to see a male gynaecologist outside of an emergency. Well preferably not in an emergency either, to be honest.

Same here

Now

Was just looking at his FB page. His book on anatomy for kids is out in paperback today (Run! (For the hills)) Sounds like the "fucking twat" language has been replaced by bogies and poo. Yawn
He doesn't take kindly to negative reviews I notice. Copies them onto his FB page and then offers to show the writer where the clitoris is.
Foul foul man.

I had enjoyed a few of the Amateur Transplants songs (not the ones mentioned here!) and recognising his name bought the book.

I expected it to be a funny but dark critique of the NHS as an organisation as well as a personal memoir.

In the end, although I saw a lot that should be changed about the NHS, I mostly came away with a very low opinion of the writer and relief that he had left the profession. The tattoo incident in particular disgusted me - this was not gallows humour, it was heavy handed hinting that he has deliberately done sub-par work on a patient as revenge.

This book was what introduced my desire never to see a male gynaecologist outside of an emergency. Well preferably not in an emergency either, to be honest.

Awful misogyny.

Made me want to give birth as far away from doctors as possible.

I couldn't stand it. I found the tone very unpleasant and his attitude towards patients and fellow HCPs was very condescending.

I do get the "black humour" thing with certain professions, absolutely.
But when you come away from reading something that only makes you glad to have never experienced a person like this yourself, as a female patient, but leaves you wondering if all HCPs feel the same about their patients, and if they do, what a sad and shameful indictment of their profession that is, and more than anything else to think about the elderly, and possibly frightened women who have been at the mercy of this man, not realising how he was going to enjoy mocking them afterwards- then something has gone way way beyond "black humour".
Having now seen the stuff about the songs- this man needs to be "cancelled" as soon as possible.

I am not a medic but have some semi-medical training, and agree that this book reflected the harsh nature of reality. You need a dark twisted sense of humour to handle life and death matters every day. I would have to seriously water down my autobiographical experiences to make them palatable for the general public!
I do think he despairs of human nature sometimes, as do I in my job, it's just that because he works in gynae most of the humans he encounters are women, not that he is misogynistic per se. He was just as disparaging about the men (guy who sustained penis injuries on a night out for example...)

I thought Joanna Cannon's Breaking and Mending memoir of her time as a junior doctor was much better, far more realistic and honest.

I think I’m going to have to read this, but it sounds revolting. I might see if the library has a copy so I don’t have him make a profit from me.

It always used to be the case that women who were sex workers would use a sponge when on their periods (I used to do some voluntary work) - has he considered how desperate she must have been? Sigh.

I’m not sure from what’s been said here that it is funny. I’ve noticed with some comedians and even some people their ‘humour’ is to be as shocking and daring as possible but that in itself isn’t funny.

When I worked for the NHS doctors, nurses and other HCPs were pushed to breaking point pretty much every day. We all managed to not be revolting sexists sneering and laughing at patients though.

i believe, with the situations doctors deal with they do have to find sense of humour and cynicism to stay sane

Well yes, but they don't need to publish a book on it, it's different to talk amongst colleagues to help deal with a shift or whatever, it's quite another to write a book, making £££ off writing about women in the way he did.

I wonder what the equivalent for men’s health is.

If you think This Is Going to Hurt was full of misogyny, wait till you try Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas.
He's a complete arse. His hatred for women shines through on every page. When he isn't "fucking this" and "fucking that" he's "cocks, dicks, tits and shits" because he somehow, despite (presumably) not being 14, thinks by using those words he's hilarious.
His most despicable anecdote, he saves for his geriatric patients though.
As I said in my Goodreads review about him, "I'd say don't give up the day job, but that ship's already sailed, and at least women can choose now to cross the street if they see you coming rather than be subjected to your fnar-fnaring behind their backs.
Nasty nasty man.

Enjoyed the book! Terrific sense of humour. And he honestly laid it bare what is it like to be a junior doctor and how really overworked and bureaucratic NHS system is.

I believe, with the situations doctors deal with they do have to find sense of humour and cynicism to stay sane.

He's made a lot of money out of other people's pain and tragedy.

Re this lyrics:

Northern birds
Are lazy, ugly wh*s who
Smell of burgers
So don't have too much to drink
Or you might f** one
And end up getting AIDS

Nothing at all
When we went back to mine I was up for a shag
In the bedroom I realise you're a dumpy old slag
Your pubes reach your navel and they cover your thighs
Didn't know they made arses that size

I have to say, and have said for a long time that there does seem to be a misogynistic side to many gay men - they are very keen to express how much women's bodies disgust them. If it's not misogyny, why else does a gay man sing songs about being repulsed by sexual experiences with women?

*believe not w leige